The first album under the leadership of Philly Joe Jones has achieved cult status over the years through the unique spoken vocal on the title track. That remarkable Bela Lugosi/Dracula sequence was actually largely derived from a routine by Philly's friend Lenny Bruce, who not only gave his blessing, but wanted to participate as a "talking sideman" (but couldn't get permission from the label he was under contract to in the Fifties, Fantasy Records!). The rest of the record should not, however, be overlooked: it's such as Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, and Tommy Flanagan, spurred to top-level post-bop performances by one of the major drummers of our time.

with Nat Adderley, Julian Priester, Johnny Griffin, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Garrison